This invention relates generally to water drinking fountains and more particularly relates to an improved fountain attachment for a water faucet, especially a water faucet equipped with an aerator.
Many fountain attachments for water faucets have been proposed in the past which let the faucet serve the dual purpose of discharging a stream of water downwardly for utilitarian purposes and also direct a jet of water upwardly for drinking directly from the jet. These prior art faucet fountain attachments have generally employed pivotable members designed to allow the discharge of water in one position and to direct the flow of water in a drinking jet in another pivoted position.
Arrangements for locating the hinge of a pivotable member to block or deflect the flow, as well as provision for special internal flow passages have led to bulky and awkward constructions which are expensive, unsightly and which can impede normal utilitarian use of the faucet.
One arrangement for a faucet fountain employs an arcuate tube with a pair of arms pivotably connected to a faucet aerator so that it can be lowered to intercept the water stream and deflect it upwardly for drinking. This device is designed to operate with an aerator of a particular design with holes in its sidewall.
Another arrangement employs a tubular body with internal pivotable deflector and a counterweight located in the fountain discharge chamber to cause the water to issue from the fountain outlet at low flows but to swing open at high flows for utilitarian use of the faucet. This device requires an internal pivot pin and proper adjustment to function.
Still another arrangement utilizes a plastic body designed to frictionally fit over the end of an aerator and having a hinged pivotable deflector vane with a spring biasing the vane toward a closed, or sometimes open, position. This device employs protruding hinge and fountain chamber with special springs required.
It would be desirable to have an easily attachable and detachable faucet fountain which is inexpensive, which does not require any adjustment, and which does not impede normal utilitarian use of the water faucet.
Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide an improved fountain attachment for a faucet which is simple, inexpensive and requires no adjustments.
Another object of the invention is to provide an improved fountain attachment for a faucet with an aerator which is easy to install and easy to operate.